


Don't tell anybody (trouble finds me)

by chaosmyths



Category: Produce X 101 - Fandom, X1 (Korea Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, M/M, SIXC being goddamn idiots
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-02
Updated: 2019-08-02
Packaged: 2020-07-29 01:34:52
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,298
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20073940
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chaosmyths/pseuds/chaosmyths
Summary: There are many reasons why Jinhyuk hasn't confessed to Wooseok and none of them are because he's a coward. No matter what Seungyoun says.





	Don't tell anybody (trouble finds me)

**Author's Note:**

> I started this fic before finale, finished it ten days ago and then sat on it for this long because I wasn't sure I liked it enough to publish it. But the gorgeous S gave it a little clean for me and the lovely Colette/ Ms. AStrangeDaze wrote a scene for me (no prizes for guessing which one) and so here we are. Publishing if only to get it out of my documents.

Jinhyuk’s alarm goes off at 5am like it does most week day mornings, rousing him from a sleep that had for some reason been more restful than usual. Luckily Jinhyuk is a morning person because opening café shifts would be the death of him otherwise.

As he makes his way to the bathroom he notices the living area light is on but that doesn’t really surprise him - Wooseok is known to get up at the crack of dawn these days to get a head start on his work day. Not healthy but who is Jinhyuk to judge.

He has his morning routine down to an art form so it’s only a few minutes later he’s walking in the kitchen, greeting on the tip of the tongue before it dies abruptly.

Wooseok isn’t working on anything, in fact he’s asleep at the dining room table, case files spread out in front of him and a half finished mug off coffee at his elbow. Jinhyuk would bet anything that Wooseok never made it to bed last night, not for the first time. 

Jinhyuk sighs and lets Wooseok sleep a bit longer - even though the position must be doing terrible things for his neck, he knows he hasn’t been sleeping recently so he’s loath to wake him. Instead he turns the coffee machine on and eats his breakfast. 

Jinhyuk doesn’t really like coffee himself but when the machine’s finished he swaps Wooseok’s long cold cup for a new one before he decides it’s probably time to wake him.

First though he takes a few seconds to observe Wooseok. He doesn’t look beautiful exactly, though Wooseok _is_ beautiful and Jinhyuk doesn’t think he’s biased in saying that, but Jinhyuk is struck by the overwhelming urge to kiss him. Jinhyuk sort of always wants to kiss Wooseok but he _knows_ it’d be a terrible idea, he knows better, so he doesn’t. Instead he squats down to his eye level and brushes the fringe out of Wooseok’s eyes because sometimes that’s enough to wake him especially when he’s not sleeping in a bed. 

This morning it’s not so Jinhyuk has to shake Wooseok’s shoulder a couple of times until finally he starts to stir, muttering something under his breath before finally he opens his eyes. 

“Jinhyuk?” Wooseok asks blearily blinking before reaching up to rub at his eye. A feeling of fondness bubbles up in Jinhyuk’s chest that he’s still not sure what to do with after all this time, “What time is it? Time for bed?”

“Actually it's five in the morning, almost time to get up,” Jinhyuk says apologetically. It’s not really his fault, Wooseok had insisted he still had work to do when Jinhyuk went to bed at ten last night and he learned barely weeks into their cohabitation which battles he could win and which were pointless. 

“Well shit,” Wooseok groans, barely awake. Jinhyuk tries not to grin. 

“You should really get up, I don’t think sleeping on the table is good for your neck. Or back.” Jinhyuk tells him with concern. Or for the general quality of sleep either Jinhyuk would assume.

“Plus I have to finish this work I clearly didn’t last night,” Wooseok moans. Jinhyuk wants to protest but he knows it’s pointless - Wooseok’s internship supervisor expects him to have the work done so he has to do it. 

“Well maybe give yourself a minute to wake up first,” Jinhyuk suggests, walking through to the bedroom so he can grab the bag he packed last night, unplugging his phone from where it’s charging by the wall and slipping it into his pocket. He checks the weather as he does every morning, and noticing it’s supposed to rain decides to steal Wooseok’s spare umbrella to slip in his bag (he lent his own to Kookheon and hasn’t seen it since). 

When he gets back out to the kitchen Wooseok hasn’t moved and Jinhyuk would assume he’d already gone back to sleep if it wasn’t for the way his fingers are twitching. 

“Don’t murder any other interns today okay,” Jinhyuk smiles cheekily. It’s worth the half hearted swipe that Wooseok tries to make at him to see the way he frowns sleepily. Cute. 

“As long as they don’t deserve it,” Wooseok grumbles, hand groping around the table as if he’s looking for something; probably his glasses, though the search would go smoother if he bothered to lift his head up. 

Jinhyuk takes pity on him and hands him his glasses, waiting till he’s put them on before he also hands over the hot cup of coffee, “You’re a life saver you know that,” Wooseok tells him with big, sincere eyes. Jinhyuk almost believes them. 

“I know, you’d probably be dead without me,” Jinhyuk jokes without thinking about it and then steamrolling over any potential awkwardness like he hadn’t noticed it. Par for the course. 

“I wouldn’t go that far,” Wooseok says, words lost in the mug off coffee clutched in his hands life a lifeline. Jinhyuk smiles, but as much as he’d like to stay and watch this adorable early morning version of Wooseok he’s going to miss his bus if he doesn’t leave now. 

“Have fun defending the innocent,” Jinhyuk let’s himself drop a kiss on Wooseok’s head before gathering his things up on the way out the door, knowing full well that’s not exactly the type of firm Wooseok works for. 

“Yeah yeah, have fun caffeinating the idiots,” Wooseok calls back, though he’s smiling. 

So is Jinhyuk as he lets the door slam closed behind him.

* * *

He’s a couple of hours into his shift, the early morning crunch has passed and it’s the lull before the mid-morning rush that’s probably a result of all the office workers needing an excuse to stretch their legs, when Seungyoun shows up. 

As expected Seungyoun doesn’t just _show up_ though, he arrives with the force (and subtlety) of a hurricane; a whirlwind of movement and chaos. 

A less dramatic description would say he shows up chatting on the phone at a volume that’s more than a little bit above polite range, juggling four note pads, a laptop and a tablet computer all the while a metal tumbler is tucked into the hood of his jacket. 

Jinhyuk just shakes his head and politely coughs to draw the attention of the young woman at the front of the line back to him. 

Seungyoun knows how to make an entrance. 

When he’s finished dealing with the three people in the queue Seungyoun is finished with his phone call and instead turns his attention to Jinhyuk, perching himself on one of the stools at the counter and resting his chin in his hand. 

“Don’t you have work to be doing?” Jinhyuk asks him with absolutely no heat in his tone. 

“I’m a freelancer,” Seungyoun pats his laptop harder than is strictly necessary, “I am working, always.” 

“Could have fooled me,” Jinhyuk mutters underneath his breath but still loud enough for Seungyoun to hear him. 

“Ooh, Wooseok I didn’t know today was body-swap day,” Seungyoun’s laughing even as he says the words, thinking himself funnier than he is. 

“Some of us have work to be doing,” Jinhyuk points out even though, well there’s not actually any work he wants to be doing right now. He would help Kookheon with clearing the rubbish the self-absorbed businessmen had left all over the tables but someone had to man the counter. 

“That is why I’m here,” Seungyoun raises an eyebrow as if he thinks Jinhyuk is particularly stupid for not knowing this. Jinhyuk is well practiced at ignoring him when necessary.

“Well, I was talking to Wooseok last right and the perfect opening to ask that question I’ve been trying to slip into conversation presented itself,” Jinhyuk starts to tell Seungyoun knowing there’s no real point in trying to get him away from the counter but whipping him with a tea towel anyway just to prove a point. 

“So you finally told him?” Seungyoun asks instead of letting Jinhyuk explain what Wooseok had told him. Jinhyuk supposes he walked himself into that one with his ambiguous wording. 

“Of course I didn’t,” Jinhyuk huffs. Seungyoun knows why he can’t tell Wooseok - the numerous reasons he can’t. In fact Seungyoun had agreed with him back at the start why it would only end badly if Jinhyuk confessed. So why he’s suddenly been pushing the issue of telling Wooseok the last couple of weeks is baffling to say the least. 

“Maybe you should confess,” Seungyoun suggests with an uncharacteristically serious expression. Then again that’s probably part of the joke.

“Maybe you should shut up and focus on what I’m trying to tell you that Wooseok told me about contract law,” Jinhyuk tells him, sharper than he intended. He just wants Seungyoun to drop the subject; he’s not telling Wooseok under any circumstance so they’re just wasting time here. 

“Alright,” Seungyoun gives in not without shooting Jinhyuk a look to let him know how displeased he is, “tell me what pearls of wisdom Wooseok dropped about contract law during your not-pillow talk. Hypothetically of course.” 

Between all the customers he has to serve and having to stop his explanation when his manager is around (no use in him thinking Jinhyuk is trying to find a loophole in his own contract - this job is shitty but he _needs_ it) it takes him almost an hour to explain to Seungyoun what Wooseok explained to him in ten minutes over dinner last night. 

Judging by the way Seungyoun’s nodding though it at least makes sense - the first few times Jinhyuk had asked Wooseok for totally hypothetical advice when he’d had to explain it himself he’d well and truly mangled it; Seungyoun still jokes it’s a miracle he’s not in jail.

When he’s finally finished explaining - and Seungyoun’s finished taking notes - the end of his shift is approaching and so it seems is a thunderstorm.

“I think this can work,” Seungyoun says seriously, shutting his laptop and slipping it into a laptop bag that Jinhyuk hadn’t noticed before, he certainly hadn’t been using it when he’d come in.

“I’m glad. Will you give me a lift to campus?” he asks Seungyoun, not really feeling like taking the bus in this weather, especially when he only has one class today.

“Why should I?” Seungyoun asks, tapping his chin with his finger before theatrically raising his voice, “Considering you’ve spent the last hour of your shift insulting and berating me.”

It’s not even close to true.

Jinhyuk leans forward and lowers his voice, “I’m your main source of income?”

“Whilst that’s not strictly true,” Seungyoun holds a hand in front of Jinhyuk’s face to stop his incoming argument (they’ve had it more than once), “I believe I can take pity on you. Only because Wooseok would murder me if I let you catch a cold from walking in the rain.”

“I see how it is, you love Wooseok more than you love me,” Jinhyuk grumbles as he removes his apron and heads to the backroom to clock off.

“That’s not true,” Seungyoun yells after him, “I just have a more of a fear of Wooseok than I have love for you.”

* * *

It only takes Jinhyuk a few minutes to change out of his uniform and into clothes he can actually wear to university. Once he emerges he finds the workers for the next shift already in place whilst Kookheon leans against the counter chatting with Seungyoun, hand playing with something in the pocket of his jacket. 

“Alright Jinhyuk?” Hayoung asks Jinhyuk with a tilt of her head. She’s asking about what kind of mood their manager is in today and thankfully Jinhyuk has nothing negative to report as he swings his bag onto his shoulder. 

Hayoung nods as her eyes slide over his friends before she frowns. “Who are you?” she asks Kookheon with a confused tilt of her head, taking in the uniform he’d borrowed from Jinhyuk that’s a size too big. 

“Just leaving,” Kookheon tells her with a winning smile before rushing out the cafe door with the apron still tied around his waist. 

Hayoung looks after him with a shake of her head before shrugging and getting to work leaving Seungyoun and Jinhyuk to hide their giggles. 

Kookheon is waiting for them outside when they emerge from the shop, jacket held over his head to protect himself from the rain, “Real subtle there,” Seungyoun teases him, slinging a companionable arm over his shoulder. 

“Shut up,” Kookheon shoves him back, causing Seungyoun to stumble into Jinhyuk and knock him off balance. Even though Jinhyuk would bet money he didn’t actually lose his balance he just laughs at their shenanigans.

“My manager is forever hiring new kids on trial periods she’ll probably forget about you by tomorrow,” Jinhyuk shrugs, which was kind of the point. 

“The real question is did you _get it_,” Seungyoun asks, using his arm around Kookheon’s neck to direct him towards his car, “I assume you’re after a lift as well?” 

“Where are we going?” Kookheon asks curiously. 

“Campus. Jinhyuk has classes I have work,” Seungyoun explains sounding like he’s rather be going anywhere else in the world. Jinhyuk relates. 

“_I _don’t have class.” 

“Then catch the bus or take a ride share.” Jinhyuk is a few steps behind them so he can’t see exactly what it is Seungyoun does to Kookheon but it has him stepping back with a noise that’s half a grunt half a squeal. Idiots. 

“I’ll come to campus,” Kookheon says in a rush. 

“That’s nice to hear but do you have _it_,” Jinhyuk has to interrupt them before they get too off topic. 

“Of course I do,” Kookheon says, with a roll of his eyes; as if he hadn’t been stressed about whether or not he could do it all week. 

“Well show us then,” Seungyoun says, bouncing on the balls of his feet. 

“No, do not _show us here in public_,” Jinhyuk says, gesturing to the very open semi-crowded street they’re currently on. 

“Right,” Seungyoun has the grace to look abashed at least, “show us in the car.”

* * *

Sometimes Jinhyuk questions the decisions that led him to this point in his life. His current situation, sitting with his face pressed into the window of Seungyoun’s car forced to watch the rain because he doesn’t have the room to turn his head, was definitely the result of bad ones. Many bad decisions. 

“I’m pretty sure this is illegal,” Hyunbin offers hesitantly, words coming from somewhere to Jinhyuk’s right. 

“This isn’t even the most illegal thing you’ve done this week,” Kookheon points out, sounding remarkably serene for a man squished into the back of a car with three other fully grown men, “then again it probably is the most uncomfortable.” 

“The stupidest for sure,” Byungchan chimes in, his words pressed into Jinhyuk’s shoulder because he’s currently perched on his lap, “being in Seungyoun’s car is a risk at the best of times.” 

“I’m the only one who was smart enough to drive to campus today, so you can shut up or I’ll kick you out and you can take the bus,” Seungyoun turns to look at them over the top of his headrest because he has the luxury of space to be able to do it. 

“You’re not even driving right now because you’re too lazy,” Kookheon snarks back, gesturing to Hangyul in the drivers seat who waves his hand in acknowledgement. 

“I can still kick you out, it’s _my car_,” Seungyoun repeats reaching backwards towards Kookheon, though Jinhyuk knows Seungyoun is too kind hearted to do that to anyone. 

“Hey, stop it,” Hangyul reaches back himself to yank Seungyoun’s hands back into the front of the car, “I can’t see shit when you do that.” 

“Eyes on the road please Hangyul,” Byungchan shrieks, right near Jinhyuk’s ear. He doesn’t even have the space to flinch away from him so he gets the full impact of the volume, “Seungwoo hyung will kill me if he finds out I died doing something illegal.” 

There’s a solemn pause for a second before Hyunbin asks, “What if he finds out you’re doing something illegal but you _don’t_ die?”

“Uhh,” Byungchan drags the sound out for an endless second before he shakes his head (and his hair into Jinhyuk’s face), “let’s not think about it. Ever.” 

“At some point someone is going to need to tell me our destination,” Hangyul points out, cutting the bickering off before they get _too_ off track.

“Jinhyuk’s,” four voices chorus before Jinhyuk gets a chance to open his mouth. 

“Why my place?” Jinhyuk asks, like they don’t end up at his place nine times out of ten, even though Wooseok is very much _not _aware of their extra curricular activities whilst Seungyoun lives alone and Hangyul and Kookheon room _together_. 

“You started this shit so you provide the secret base,” Seungyoun shrugs his shoulders, peering through the gap between the seat and the headrest now.

“And the food.” 

“It’s not really a _secret base_ when Wooseok could walk in on us at any moment,” Jinhyuk stresses. Not that he minds hosting these gatherings, not at all, he just worries about Wooseok finding out pretty much all the time. 

“He works today right, when’s he supposed to be home?” Hangyul asks, glancing back at Jinhyuk in the car mirror for a split second before hastily looking back at the road, “eyes on the road I know Byungchan it’s too small in here for you to scream again.” 

“Seven, but you know how he is there’s a chance he could come home early,” Jinhyuk warns them. 

“He’s more likely to work late,” Seungyoun shrugs, turning back around in his seat _finally_ so he’s facing forward. 

“Fine but if he comes home early and finds out what we’re up to I want you to know there’s a high chance that he will murder all of us,” Jinhyuk is only 20% joking - Wooseok might not _murder_ them but he’d definitely be more than unhappy. 

“No one could murder _all_ of us at once.” Hyunbin scoff. As the only member of their group that doesn’t really know Wooseok Jinhyuk gets why he might be skeptical but even then he doesn’t sound entirely certain of himself

“Normally I’d agree with you but Wooseok probably could,” Seungyoun says thoughtfully, Jinhyuk nodding along eagerly glad that Seungyoun is backing him up on this one. 

“What are you scared of Jinhyuk’s boyfriend for anyway he’s like 10cm shorter than you?” Hyunbin asks. 

Jinhyuk tries to protest but Byungchan is speaking up before he can so he shuts his mouth figuring no one would listen to him even if they could hear him, “he’s also terrifyingly competent and kind of evil.” 

“And a lawyer,” Jinhyuk chimes in, since if he can’t stop this conversation he might as well take part, “He could murder us all and get away with it.” 

“And you like this guy?” Hangyul asks Jinhyuk, squinting his eyes theatrically through the rear view mirror. Jinhyuk would be offended but Hangyul (and Seungyoun) knew Wooseok before they knew him so he’s used to this. 

“You know how anyone desperate enough to date Seungyoun is clearly attracted to morons?” Kookheon asks Hangyul sweetly, “Jinhyuk is attracted to sadists.” 

“I am not!” Jinhyuk protests since Wooseok isn’t actually that bad (unless he’s provoked). 

At the same time Seungyoun turns around and starts to yell something about how he’s the only one here who's graduated and with a job at Kookheon, honestly he’s talking too high pitched and fast for Jinhyuk to make out words. Meanwhile Byungchan is laughing (right in Jinhyuk’s ear) so hard Jinhyuk can’t help but join in. 

Hyunbin looks like he’s not sure what to do with himself and meanwhile Hangyul…. 

“Everyone shut the fuck up I am trying to _drive!_” he yells, managing to shut up everyone except Seungyoun who doesn’t clam up until Hangyul smacks him in the leg - probably hard, “If you don’t shut up and sit down we’re going to die in a car accident before Wooseok gets to us.” 

Jinhyuk tries not to laugh at how much like a _mum_ Hangyul sounds for potentially the first time in his life. 

Silence descends on the car for all of twenty seconds before Kookheon says thoughtfully, “I reckon that’s probably a more pleasant way to go.”

* * *

“So how’d your mission today go?” Hangyul asks Kookheon once they’re all spread out across Jinhyuk’s living room having made themselves at home after raiding the entire contents of his fridge. He’d mind more but he knows he’s going to find extra cash in his wallet and probably money in his bank account afterwards (and he can afford it now after all). 

“Huh?” Kookheon looks up, speaking through a mouthful of food. 

“Did. You. Get. Caught? On your super secret mission this afternoon,” Hangyul emphasises. Jinhyuk hides a laugh into his hand at the offended expression on Kookheon’s face. 

“Obviously he didn’t get caught,” Seungyoun scoffs, lying upside down on the couch with his legs hanging over the back for some inexplicable reason, “He’s here isn’t he?”

“Maybe you or Jinhyuk had to bail him out,” Hangyul suggests, though he doesn’t look too convinced by the suggestion.

“I’d have just left him in jail,” Seungyoun jokes, ducking out of the way of the half hearted arm that Kookheon flings in his direction (they all know he _wouldn’t have_). 

“Did you get it though?” Byungchan is practically bouncing on the spot where he’s sitting, unable to wait.

“Of course I did,” Kookheon huffs as if it was an obvious conclusion. Knowing Kookheon’s pickpocketing abilities it wasn’t really.

“And no one was suspicious?” 

“He’s no Hyunbin but he did okay,” Seungyoun says causing Hyunbin to puff his chest up in pride like he does anytime someone mentions his pickpocketing prowess. He doesn’t mention that the reason Kookheon was successful was because Seungyoun was drawing all the attention in the cafe to himself with his ridiculous entrance; that had been the plan after all.

“Well let’s see it,” Hangyul demands, dropping off the couch he’s sitting on so he’s kneeling in front of the coffee table.

Kookheon reaches into his pocket and slides a security pass onto the coffee table with so much force that Hangyul has to grab it before it slips to the floor. It kind of ruins the effect of the dramatic reveal. 

“You hold the keys to Mnet in your hands,” Byungchan says solemnly if not slightly melodramatically. Jinhyuk laughs.

“We could go right now and rob them of everything they’re worth,” Hangyul suggests thoughtfully, twirling the pass between his fingers.

“Keep your eye on the prize,” Jinhyuk reminds him gently, “We’ve got bigger plans than that.”

They’re going to hit Mnet hardest of course but it’s only one part of a larger problem.

Maybe a problem that’s too large.

* * *

Eventually the novelty of the keys to the kingdom wears off and the others break off into small groups to get to work on all the grunt work that needs done.

Hyunbin and Byungchan have stuck a set of blue prints on the window and are currently scribbling all over them with a fervour that should be concerning whilst Hangyul goes over the details of an alias he’s going to need to use in the next few days, as he fiddles with a police radio.

Which leaves Jinhyuk to go over financial records. It’s less than ideal, Jinhyuk doesn’t really have a brain for numbers - that’s more Kookheon’s area of expertise as the business student - but Kookheon is otherwise occupied right now so it falls to Jinhyuk.

Jinhyuk’s really not making much headway, alternating between scrolling through the records with no real clue what he’s looking for and watching the idiots with the blueprints when Seungyoun’s head appears over his shoulder.

Jinhyuk flinches from his position sitting against the couch but doesn’t scream, more than used to Seungyoun by now, “Did you climb over the back of the couch so you could scare me?” 

“No,” Seungyoun blatantly lies - Jinhyuk would have been able to see him otherwise. 

“Right,” Jinhyuk drags out to show he doesn’t believe Seungyoun but doesn’t think it’s worth the argument. Seungyoun’s silent as the two of them watch Kookheon walk up to Hangyul and start grilling him about his alias under the guise of help but probably more to take enjoyment out of confusing or tripping Hangyul up (it all helps in the long run anyway). 

“What’s up?” Jinhyuk asks eventually when it becomes clear Seungyoun is going to keep lurking behind him. 

“I was going to ask you the same thing,” Seungyoun’s chin digs into Jinhyuk’s shoulder 

“Well, I’ve found nothing of note in the financials but seeing as I’m not sure what I’m looking for I think that says I’m incompetent rather than Mnet is clean.” 

“Well, I’m not surprised, but that’s not what I was asking,” Seungyoun digs his chin in further before he rolls off the couch and next to Jinhyuk with a clatter - no one even bothers looking up at him. The fact he’s done it is entirely in character; that he manages not to kick the laptop in the process is honestly dumb luck. 

“What were you asking then?” Jinhyuk asks, putting the laptop on the coffee table - there’s nothing to see there. 

“What’s got you so worried?” Seungyoun asks, reaching out to smooth a non-existence frown out of Jinhyuk’s forehead. He gets the point though, there’s probably no point in denying it. 

“Are we being a bit too ambitious?” Jinhyuk asks Seungyoun, quietly so the other kids can’t hear them,

“It’s a bit too late to be asking that isn’t it?” Seungyoun asks, leaning his head against the couch so he’s staring up at the ceiling. 

“We can walk away at any time,” Jinhyuk squints, confused why it would be too late. 

“Yeah but you try telling them we’re not doing it anymore,” Seungyoun waves a lazy hand at the other four in the midst of their excited planning, “They’d probably just do it without us and get caught in the process.”

“That wouldn’t be my problem,” Jinhyuk points out though it’s probably a waste of oxygen.

“You wouldn’t be able to let that happen.” 

“Neither would you.” 

“Well it’s a good thing we’re not walking away then isn’t it,” Seungyoun glances over to him with a conspiratorial smile, “I did ask you if you were sure when we started this one.” 

“And I am, but it’s bigger than anything we’ve tried before. Not just Mnet. The CJ group,” Jinhyuk was sure when they started this one, he’s just less sure now.

“We’re good though,” Seungyoun says puffing his chest up with pride. It is deserved after all. 

“Are we this good?” Jinhyuk isn’t a pessimistic person - he’s rather something of the opposite. Maybe that’s why he decided to do this by jumping in head first, without considering the risks. There’s a reason Wooseok usually makes him wait a few days before making big decisions. If only Wooseok knew about this maybe it would be easier (but Wooseok doesn’t know about this and he _won’t_ so Jinhyuk should stop that train of thought before it gets any further). 

“We’ll have to be,” Seungyoun says like it’s that simple. Maybe it is.

“That’s easy for you to say,” Jinhyuk teases Seungyoun, elbowing him in the side, “You’re not the one with the plan.” 

That’s not exactly fair - Jinhyuk is the one that plans most of these things but Seungyoun manages to keep them organised and on task without letting them get too caught up in the seriousness of what they’re doing. No use dwelling on how long they’ll end up in jail if they’re caught so Seungyoun generally doesn’t let them.

“It’s easy for me to say because I _am_ that good I don’t have to work at it,” Seungyoun says, clapping Jinhyuk on the shoulder, “Are _you_ good?” It’s a genuine offer to listen to any worries that Jinhyuk might have at the moment and he appreciates it but it’s unnecessary. 

“I’m fine,” Jinhyuk says, casting his eyes around the room, “But that police radio might not be if Kookheon and Hangyul keep at it much longer.”

Seungyoun springs to his feet with a curse, bounding over to smack Hangyul around the side of the head who starts to complain loudly about how Kookheon isn’t being physically assaulted.

Jinhyuk has to laugh at them before sighing, figuring he should probably get back to his task at hand no matter how useless he is at it. Who knows maybe Mnet has signposted their dodgy financials with glitter text or something.

“Jinhyuk hyung?” Byungchan bounds over with a permanent marker clutched upside down in his hand.

“Byungchan, how can I help you?” Jinhyuk asks reaching out to pluck the pen out of his hand and put it the right way even though there’s probably not much point when most of his hand is already coloured in black.

“We need your opinion on something on the blueprints.”

Why they’re asking him he’s not sure - he’s not the one that’s done an architecture elective after all - but anything to get out of these financial records. 

He makes sure to put up a token protest though, “Can it wait? I’m supposed to be doing the financials after all.”

“I’ve got it,” Kookheon has materialised next to Jinhyuk at some point - probably to escape from Hangyul and Seungyoun’s hijinks, “Since I’m sure you’re have no idea what you’re looking for.”

“Alright, thanks,” Jinhyuk claps Kookheon on the back not even pretending to be reluctant before he follows Byungchan and Hyunbin over to continue their appraisal of Mnet’s studio. 

Jinhyuk’s barely managed to orientate himself around the blueprints when the front door opens and Wooseok calls out, “Jinhyuk, are you home?” 

Shit. They all freeze and there’s a pregnant pause as the six of them turn to look at each other with wide eyes, each not daring to move as if a single shift will cast the secret into the open, as if by staying completely still Wooseok might turn around again and leave. “Never mind,” Wooseok breaks the silence, voice sounding much closer than before, sending them all scrambling into action, “I can see that you are, and you brought half your class with you.” 

“Shit,” Seungyoun hisses before he’s heading towards the door with a shit-stirring look on his face, clearly intending to head Wooseok off and buy them as much time needed with any means necessary.

“You said he wasn’t supposed to be home for another hour,” Hangyul accuses him as he starts to shove various pieces of fake identifications made up for their aliases into his backpack. 

“I also told you it was an estimate and it’s not my fault, I can’t control if he comes home early,” Jinhyuk hisses back, yanking the blueprints down with Byungchan’s help as Hyunbin turns wildly in a circle with wide eyes as if appraising the scene before grabbing the police scanner and tucking it under his arm.

He circles around again like a dog trying to orientate himself or just hopelessly lost and chasing his own tail before dashing off god knows where into the apartment. Jinhyuk mentally makes note to check the bathroom and bedroom before Wooseok goes to bed tonight; Hyunbin, well-meaning as he was, has a habit of panicking and hiding incriminating things in the oddest of places. 

Only Kookheon continues what he’s doing without batting an eyelid, scrolling on his laptop like he’s just browsing SNS or something equally innocuous, though there’s a chance that could have been exactly what he’s been doing all along instead of helping, that slacker.

“Are you mad?” Seungyoun asks Wooseok, walking right up into his personal space as he enters the room, allowing the rest of them scramble to put away anything else sitting out in the open that could possibly be incriminating whilst Wooseok’s attention is on him.

“No,” Wooseok says slowly, pulling the strap of his bag to rest higher on his shoulder as Seungyoun pulls the most ridiculous and blatantly fake hang-dog face he’s ever seen, “…..should I be mad?” 

“No, of course not but you look mad,” Seungyoun says, even though they both know Wooseok looks more tired than mad. 

Wooseok sighs, the sound heavy, dragging his shoulders down in a way the hundreds of pages he’s carrying in his messenger bag fails to. “What did you do, Seungyoun?” he asks, voice heavy with accusation just as Hyunbin emerges from the bathroom with comically wide eyes as if Wooseok might have caught him red-handed. 

Hangyul bounces up to Hyunbin, swinging an arm around his shoulder to direct him to the back of the room and away from Wooseok’s field of vision before he can blurt out his famous, “It wasn’t me!” loud and clear – not that he needed to, what with Wooseok being so focused on how annoying Seungyoun is being. (For being such a good pickpocket, Hyunbin really is an unprecedented level of awful when it comes to acting nonchalant so Hangyul intervening was probably on the safer side.)

Seungyoun continues to pester Wooseok whilst the rest of them finish their clean up as subtly as possible. When Jinhyuk is convinced there’s nothing incriminating left in plain sight (though he has to gesture quite violently at Kookheon to pocket the ID badge instead of swinging the lanyard around his finger), he makes his way over to save Wooseok from Seungyoun. 

“Hey,” he can hear Seungyoun saying, teasing tone disappearing from his voice so quickly it’d give Jinhyuk whiplash if he wasn’t used to it, “Are you okay?”

Jinhyuk takes the chance to really look at Wooseok for the first time amongst all the chaos since he got home. He looks pale, there are dark circles under his eyes that are prominent even under the concealer he knows Wooseok wears, and when Seungyoun reaches up to cup his face in concern he doesn’t brush him off but instead leans into it a little bit, swaying on the spot. 

“I’m fine,” Wooseok says, not looking fine in the slightest.

Not that he would ever admit to being anything but fine in front of so many other people, and especially not when some of them are people he doesn't really trust. Not a single person close to him ever takes his responses to these questions at face value. Jinhyuk knows, and Seungyoun knows that as well, so he doesn’t push, just lets Wooseok lean forward and rest his head against his shoulder as alarm bells go off in Jinhyuk’s head.

“I’m just tired,” Wooseok says begrudgingly after a long beat as Jinhyuk draws closer and steps up beside him, exchanging worried looks with Seungyoun.

The fact that Wooseok was so visibly out of it was already unusual, for him to all but outright admit there was something wrong…

Jinhyuk hurries forward to wrap an arm around Wooseok’s waist and immediately Wooseok turns away from Seungyoun, seeking familiar warmth as he burrows closer into Jinhyuk’s side. Seungyoun reaches over to tap his cheek once before letting go and stepping back, though not moving particularly far, hovering like Wooseok might collapse at any moment and Jinhyuk would need help bearing his weight. Jinhyuk ignores their friend for the moment, taking Wooseok’s weight easily, alarmed by how frail he feels in his arms in that moment, arms winding tightly around his boyfriend on instinct. “Hey babe,” he whispers, pressing a kiss to Wooseok’s temple, one hand coming up to comb through Wooseok’s hair, “Long day?” 

“Mmm…” Wooseok takes a deep breath as if breathing in the scent of Jinhyuk’s cologne alone might fortify him.

“We should get going,” Seungyoun says, voice low as he eyes the rest of the group, giving Jinhyuk a significant look. 

Jinhyuk nods – Wooseok looks dead on his feet and they’re not going to get anything else done with him here. And neither of them trust the others not to let something slip when they’re still in heist headspace.

“Don’t let me chase you out,” Wooseok gives a token protest though Jinhyuk isn’t sure why he’s even bothering - Wooseok usually has no problems telling people to get lost, especially in his own house. 

“It’s okay, we were finished anyway,” Byungchan reassures Wooseok, patting him on the shoulder as he heads for the front door with the rolled up blue prints under his arm. Jinhyuk marvels at his flawless façade; he’s so nonchalant and calm about it that Wooseok likely wouldn’t glance twice at him even if he wasn’t exhausted as he was right now. Jinhyuk wonders if it would be possible to forcibly transfer some of that calm to Hyunbin who is still looking like he’s about to bolt or jump five feet into the air, with only Hangyul’s arm keeping him anchored to the ground. 

“Plus you look like you need a nap,” Seungyoun pinches his cheek obnoxiously before yelling over the top of Jinhyuk’s head “Kookheon, don’t you dare try and take my laptop you fucker.” 

“I wasn’t going to,” Kookheon complains, lying through his teeth - they all know Seungyoun has the most up-to-date laptop for obvious reasons and Kookheon wasn’t above some friendly ‘borrowing’.

The whole crew shuffles out of the apartment and there’s the sound of a scuffle and a building argument - Hangyul’s voice the loudest for some reason - before eventually the sound dies down and the front door slams shut behind them. Jinhyuk casts his eyes over the room one last time to ensure there’s nothing left behind before he allows himself to relax. 

“Don’t take this the wrong way,” Wooseok turns his body fully towards Jinhyuk, dropping his bag at their feet and winding his arms around Jinhyuk’s waist to pull his boyfriend into a proper hug, “But why do I feel like your friends spend more time in our place than I do these days?”

“Maybe because you spend such long hours at your internship,” Jinhyuk points out, wincing the moment he says it. It’s probably a dick move to deflect with the internship of all things considering how hard he knows Wooseok is working but he’s still…really bad at lying to him and deflecting is the best he can do.

“Okay, point taken,” Wooseok sighs, swaying them both side to side on the spot - Jinhyuk isn’t sure if it’s on purpose or if he’s just that tired, but at least he doesn’t sound upset about what he said, “But what on earth are you all so absorbed in doing all the time?” 

Jinhyuk pauses to press a kiss to the top of Wooseok’s head giving himself a second to think of an excuse before deciding to go with the most basic one he can, “We’re helping Hyunbin with a project, for his unit.” He hates that things have come to this, that he’s constantly lying to Wooseok, but it’s better than dragging him into their criminal shenanigans.

“Oh, has the kid finally decided on a major then?” Wooseok asks curiously. It’s kind of a running joke really how often Hyunbin has managed to change his major despite only being a first year; Wooseok doesn’t even really know him that well and even he knows the stories of how the administrative office is about to put a chair and desk in just for Hyunbin with how frequently he visits them. Jinhyuk gets him on that though – maybe if he’d changed his major back when he was that age he wouldn’t be here.

“Not yet,” Jinhyuk laughs; he’s pretty sure Hyunbin is going to spend at least two more years trying things to decide if he likes them, and well, power to him since he can obviously afford to, “But he’s getting there, I hope.”

“Ah, to be young again,” Wooseok sighs, reluctantly letting go of Jinhyuk to stretch his back, both of them wincing at the sound of joints popping, “Urgh, I feel like I need a massage or a chiropractor.”

“I think you need less late nights,” Jinhyuk can’t help but scold even as he guides them both to the couch and starts massaging at the tight knots he can feel along Wooseok’s shoulders, “I can see the dark circles through your concealer, babe.”

“It’s this case, it’ll be better when it’s over,” Wooseok groans even as he pushes against Jinhyuk’s hands appreciatively, like a cat begging for more attention, “The other intern that’s supposed to go through all the logs with me has a family emergency, and the partner supervising our team just keeps promising our client everything under the sun.”

“I know you’re not just tired though, Wooseok-ah,” Jinhyuk says lowly, thinking of how obviously out of sorts Wooseok looked, how much he let shine through in front of Jinhyuk’s friends when normally he was so guarded, “Are you going to tell me what else is wrong?” 

“I’m tired. I told you that.”

“You almost fell into Seungyoun’s arms earlier in front of everyone,” Jinhyuk emphasizes. It’s not that Wooseok can’t or doesn’t show affection in front of people, it’s that he doesn’t really like showing weakness if he can help it. Not after everything. 

“It’s,” Wooseok starts to say before hesitating, and Jinhyuk pauses as well, “It’s just work stuff, the case, I’m sorry I can’t tell you more about it.” 

Jinhyuk doesn’t really understand the specifics of the non disclosure agreement that Wooseok had to sign for his internship, seeing as he’s able to tell Jinhyuk the intricate details of some cases and nothing about others, but he doesn’t question it, continuing with his ministrations as Wooseok stretches out further across their couch.

“Well, you should talk to someone about it,” Jinhyuk pauses so he can lean over Wooseok who has somehow shifted from sitting beside him to laying down, head pillowed on his lap. He brushes Wooseok’s fringe out of his eyes before cupping his jaw with both hand, thumbs brushing over the hollows of his cheeks tenderly as he bends down, gently bumping their noses together, “Don’t burn yourself out, darling.” 

Wooseok goes a little cross-eyed trying to maintain eye contact with Jinhyuk, drawing back slightly just to dart forward and press a quick peck to Jinhyuk’s nose with a soft giggle that melts his heart. “I’ve been talking to Seungwoo hyung about it, don’t worry too much, love. I promise I’ll be alright, it’s just a tough few weeks.” 

“Well, as long as you’re talking to someone,” Jinhyuk smiles, relieved, chasing after Wooseok to leave a loud smooch against his cheeks that has the other man squealing with laughter, the smile removing weeks of stress from around his eyes, “How is Seungwoo hyung these days?”

Before Wooseok can answer, he jolts upwards into a seated position, startled by the buzzing in Jinhyuk’s pocket. Jinhyuk narrowly pulls back to avoid colliding heads with him and they both burst into laughter.

“Are you going to get that?” Wooseok asks after he catches his breath, eyes still dancing with laughter, impish grin on his face, and Jinhyuk can’t help but stare, overwhelmed with a sudden urge to kiss him, “Well?” 

“It would be rude right now, wouldn’t it, Kim Wooseok-ssi?” Jinhyuk says instead, tugging on Wooseok’s tie playfully, “After all, I’m supposed to be paying attention to my wonderful boyfriend.” 

“Just check your messages, you sap,” Wooseok swats Jinhyuk’s hand away with a laugh, pulling the tie off only to drape it over Jinhyuk’s head before making his way towards the bedroom, “I should get changed anyways, suits are not meant for lounging.” 

Jinhyuk lets him go and pulls the phone out with a sigh, not too worried that it’s something urgent seeing as everyone left his house less than ten minutes ago and the coffee shop is closed – what could have possibly gone wrong within that span of time? 

A text from Seungyoun greets him and Jinhyuk bites back a groan even as he shoots to his feet – he takes everything nice he’s ever said about his friends back, why did he jinx himself?

_FYI Hyunbin left the police scanner in your bath (I have no fucking idea why, don’t ask) so you should probably remove that ASAP._

Jinhyuk tries not to swear, hoping that Wooseok only went to the bedroom and not the bathroom. Honestly, why Hyunbin thought the bath was a good place to hide anything was beyond him, and quite possibly beyond Hyunbin as well. 

“Hey, what are you doing?” Jinhyuk is broken out of his thoughts by Wooseok smacking him in the chest with his tie - apparently having changed and wandered back into the living room at some point to reclaim it from Jinhyuk’s head only to use it as a weapon. 

“Nothing?”

“Yeah and that’s weird,” Wooseok reaches up to pinch Jinhyuk’s cheeks harder than could probably be considered playful, pushing his head to and fro as he scrunches up his face, “You’re weird.”

“Says you,” Jinhyuk bats Wooseok’s hands away. 

“Alright, no needs to get testy,” Wooseok teases, eyes twinkling, looping the tie around Jinhyuk’s neck and pulling him closer.

“What can I say? You bring out the worst in me,” Jinhyuk presses a kiss to Wooseok’s forehead and then two more for both his cheeks, just because, before ducking out from under the tie and heading for the bathroom. 

Wooseok sticks his tongue out at Jinhyuk, throwing the tie in his general vicinity and missing by a long shot, hitting some part of their tiny dinning room table instead, before flopping onto the couch with a groan, “Come back quickly, I’m hungry.”

Jinhyuk hides a smile behind his hand as he ducks into the bathroom to find the police scanner in the bath just like Seungyoun said it would be. At least Hyunbin had the sense to wrap it in a towel first, though it’s still a conspicuous lump.

He gathers the scanner up in his arms and flushes the toilet before opening the door slowly, sticking his head out to make sure Wooseok isn’t looking in his direction. He’s not, thankfully – the television is on and he appears to be watching that, so Jinhyuk makes a beeline for the bedroom while trying to decide where he can stash the thing considering their room isn’t exactly the biggest. 

He glances around frantically for a few seconds before stashing it under the bed, knowing there’s barely any chance of Wooseok checking under there without reason, and makes his way back to the living room, biting back a sigh. Honestly, this double-life business was not for him.

“You okay?” Wooseok asks him when he emerges from the bedroom, “You look a bit….” he pauses like he’s trying to decide what word he’s looking for before he settles on “..worried.”

Clearly Jinhyuk hasn’t hidden the thoughts from his face as well as he thought he did. “No,” Jinhyuk shakes his head theatrically, wincing internally as he does it – great job Jinhyuk, you’re supposed to act like Byungchan, not Hyunbin.

“Well then what has you frowning like that?” Wooseok drawls, propping himself up over the back of the couch to look at Jinhyuk.

“Well, it’s just that it’s already 6:30 in the evening and I haven’t had a cuddle all day,” he pouts dramatically for effect. Which isn’t false - of course he misses Wooseok a lot these days but between Wooseok’s internship and his extra curricular activities it’s not like there’s a lot of time left for the two of them to spend together. If they didn’t live together, Jinhyuk wonders if they’d even be able to see each other once a week – if this is what growing up and having a relationship was like as an adult, Jinhyuk isn’t sure how so many people manage to not just fall out of contact with each other.

“Come here then,” Wooseok commands, opening his arms and making grabbing motions with his hands, and Jinhyuk is more than happy to forget about everything for the moment and just melt into his boyfriend’s arms.

For a few minutes, they just breathe each other in, letting the warmth of another body seep into their bones as they slowly unwind from the demands of the world and the stressors from the day. The sound of television might as well be white noise with how much attention Jinhyuk is paying it, much more entranced with playing with Wooseok’s fingers and snuggling closer against the crook of Wooseok’s neck. “Are you sure you’re okay,” Jinhyuk peers over suspiciously after a long silence, spying the too-pale skin now that Wooseok was so much closer to him and dark-circles that were all the more prominent now that it was no longer hidden under concealer. Not to mention he was letting himself be soft in a way he usually only was when seeking comfort. 

“My eyes hurt,” Wooseok eventually complains, pouting up at him and Jinhyuk reaches over to poke at the crinkling between his brows, as if he could smooth it away along with all of Wooseok’s worries. 

“Where are your glasses?” Jinhyuk asks. He’d noticed Wooseok wasn’t wearing them considering they hadn’t smacked into his chest when they hugged earlier but Wooseok sometimes wears contacts to work despite how much they irritate his eyes.

“In our room. They don’t help right now.”

“Okay,” Jinhyuk covers his eyes with his hands instead and kisses his forehead, one, two, and three times, “fixed. All better!”

“Now I can’t see, idiot,” Wooseok complains even as he grins widely.

“I’ll be your eyes then,” Jinhyuk whispers before ducking down to kiss Wooseok properly like he’s been itching to do all evening.

**Author's Note:**

> At various points in it's life this document was named:  
◦ Soft What's Soft?  
◦ Chaotic Idiots do Crime  
◦ Fuck Mnet The Fic
> 
> Obviously I intended this to be part of a bigger universe/fic but I'm not sure if I'll ever get around to writing it, we'll see. 
> 
> Catch me on [twitter](https://twitter.com/nichesindrome) if you want I guess.


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